UK Researching and Buying Technology Consumer Report 2026
Even with a high interest in using AI tools for research, many still find buying technology overwhelming without support from knowledgeable staff.
Trusted by leading global brands
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for researching and buying technology – UK
- Opportunities
- Dial up the desirability of refurbished technology
- AI improves discovery, but the human touch remains the differentiator
- In-person experiences are non-negotiable for younger adults, the most active tech buyers
-
THE MARKET
- AI brings a new era to commerce
- Rising AI demand strains RAM supply and buyer budgets
- Longer lifespan, less electrical waste
-
THE CONSUMER
- Technology product purchases and their conditions
- Nearly three quarters have bought technology devices
- Interest in the latest technology wanes with age
- Graph 1: interest in latest technology and full features (% any agree), by age, 2026
- New devices are still strongly preferred, but alternative conditions are rising
- Younger shoppers are more open to exploring alternative conditions
- Graph 2: condition of technology devices purchased in the last 12 months, by age, 2026
- Refurbished tech is well-positioned to gain more popularity…
- Graph 3: perceived benefits of refurbished technology (% any agree), by age, 2026
- …especially if transparency is improved
- Unlocking value beyond the device purchase
- Graph 4: it is worth paying for a subscription service to unlock all of a technology product’s features (% any agree), by condition of products purchased, 2026
- Path to purchase technology products
- Official channels earn consumers’ trust in product research
- Graph 5: sources used to research technology products before buying, by condition of products purchased, 2026
- Age influences the choice of research resources
- Graph 6: sources used to research technology products before buying, by age, 2026
- Half of consumers shop both online and in-store
- Younger adults are more-active channel hoppers
- Graph 7: channels used to buy technology products, by condition of tech purchased, 2026
- The role of AI versus human staff in researching and buying technology
- High interest in AI, but usage is primarily for research
- Graph 8: interest in AI-assisted features when buying technology products, by age, 2026
- Human trumps AI in trust, even among digital natives
- Knowledgeable staff smooth the buying journey
- Graph 9: buying technology products often feels overwhelming without support from knowledgeable staff (% any agree), by age, 2026
- Drivers influencing the choice of one retailer over another
- Price is front of mind for most, but not younger shoppers
- Graph 10: drivers influencing the choice of one retailer over another, by age, 2026
- After-sales support resonates strongly with women
- Graph 11: consideration of good after-sales support as a driver for retailer choice, by age and gender, 2026
- Key technology customer typologies
- Customer typologies for researching and buying technology
- Consumer typologies at a glance
- Casual Tech Buyers: who they are and opportunities
- Repair-First Value Seekers: who they are and opportunities
- Total Tech Maximisers: who they are and opportunities
- Guided Buyers: who they are and opportunities
- Feature Chasers: who they are and opportunities
-
INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- Refurbished tech in the spotlight
- Elevating repair capability
- Reimagining in-store shopping experiences
- Raising the bar for convenience in online shopping
- Partnering with influencers to boost product desirability
-
APPENDIX
- Report scope
- The consumer
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Cluster analysis
- Repertoire analysis methodology
- TURF methodology
- How to read: TURF analysis
- Abbreviations
Even with a high interest in using AI tools for research, many still find buying technology overwhelming without support from knowledgeable staff. In fact, 68% of 16-34 year olds, the most active users of these tools, agree, highlighting a clear demand for the human touch despite the rising convenience of technology.
A key challenge to the market is the stubborn cost-of-living crisis and its impact on consumer spending on technology devices. This situation could be worsened by a global RAM shortage and its knock-on impact on the prices of consumer tech devices, prompting consumers to hold onto their current devices for longer.
A key opportunity lies in circular business models, where monetising repair and refurbishment can offset slowed sales of new devices. The wealth of technology brands, models and conditions to choose from can make the buying journey increasingly complex, and retailers that embrace staff expertise or leverage AI in a way that simplifies purchasing yet elevates the human touch are well positioned to cut through the noise.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- What technology devices are bought, and in which condition
- The path to purchasing technology devices, including how consumers research and buy items
- The role of AI tools in researching and buying technology
- Key drivers of retailer choice, including the impact of price, customer service and location
- Key consumer typologies for technology devices
£ 2,195 excl. Tax
Secure direct checkout
Instant PDF download
Portal access included
Need help deciding?
Get in touch
Trusted by global industry leaders
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
